GAZA – Israel’s air force bombed an Islamic Jihad base in the southern Gaza Strip on Saturday, killing a commander and four munitions experts from the Palestinian faction, officials on both sides said.

The strike in Rafah followed a Palestinian cross-border rocket launch this week which the Israelis blamed on Islamic Jihad. That attack caused no casualties but a rocket landed deep enough to set off sirens on the outskirts of Tel Aviv.

Fresh salvoes were fired on Saturday evening, wounding three Israelis, and another air strike killed two Islamic Jihad gunmen. The flare-up ended a relative lull in violence that surrounded the major, Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap on Oct. 18 between Gaza’s governing Hamas Islamists and the Jewish state.

“We seek no confrontation with the Palestinians and do not want to inflame the situation, but we will not absorb shelling after shelling without a response,” Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman said in a statement.

Calling for international intervention to stop the rocket launches at once, he threatened there would be consequences in the coming days without specifying what they would be.

Islamic Jihad said that air strike on its Rafah training camp killed commander Ahmed al-Sheikh Khalil and four comrades who oversaw manufacture of bombs and rockets for the faction.

Doctors said two other militants were hurt in the incident, during which witnesses reported Israeli helicopters overhead.

In Jerusalem, the Israeli military said in a statement that its aircraft had “targeted a terrorist squad … that was preparing to launch long-range rockets”.

It said those struck were responsible for the rocket launch late on Wednesday, though no Palestinian faction had claimed responsibility.

NO TRUCE NOW

Islamic Jihad, a sometime Hamas ally, has chafed at its recent efforts to impose de facto ceasefires with Israel.

Hamas last week repatriated an Israeli soldier it captured in 2006 in exchange for the staggered release of more than 1,000 jailed Palestinians. That deal, mediated by Egypt, stirred speculation a more enduring detente could be in the works.

“There is no chance of speaking about a truce now, following such a big crime against leaders of the group,” said Islamic Jihad spokesman Abu Ahmed.

“Now we are talking about the suitable response to this crime,” he said, a threat of retribution echoed by other militant groups.

Within hours, at least 20 Palestinian rockets and mortar bombs hit different sites in southern Israel, wounding three civilians, police said. Islamic Jihad and the more secular factions Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and al-Aqsa Martyrs Brigades separately took credit.

A second Israeli air strike followed in Rafah, killing two Islamic Jihad gunmen and wounding a third, doctors said.

Islamic Jihad released images of what it said was the firing by its men of a truck-mounted multiple rocket-launcher, a platform recalling those of Libyan rebels and not previously seen in Gaza. Israel says Gazan arsenals have been boosted by gun-running from Libya since the fall of its ruler, Muammar Gaddafi.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/29/israel-bombs-islamic-jihad-base-in-gaza-5-killed/feed/5stdA general view shows burned cars after a rocket fired from Gaza landed in Ashdod October 29, 2011. Fresh salvoes were fired on Saturday evening, wounding two Israelis and calling into question the duration of a relative lull secured by Gaza's Islamist Hamas rulers, who last week held a major, Egyptian-brokered prisoner swap with the Jewish state.Suicide bomb in Kabul kills 13 U.S. troopshttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/29/suicide-bomb-in-kabul-kills-13-u-s-troops/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/29/suicide-bomb-in-kabul-kills-13-u-s-troops/#commentsSat, 29 Oct 2011 15:14:08 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=104322

By Hamid Shalizi

KABUL – A suicide car bomber killed 13 American troops in the Afghan capital Kabul on Saturday, the deadliest single ground attack against the NATO-led force in 10 years of war in Afghanistan.

“We can confirm that 13 International Security Assistance Force members have died,” said a spokesman for the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) in Kabul, giving no further details.

A Pentagon spokesman later confirmed all 13 soldiers killed were American.

Three civilians and a police officer were also killed in the attack on a convoy of military vehicles, a spokesman for the Afghan interior ministry said.

Excluding aircraft crashes, it was the deadliest single incident for foreign troops since the war began in 2001.

Lethal attacks are relatively rare in heavily guarded Kabul, compared with the south and east of Afghanistan, but Saturday’s killings came less than two months after insurgents launched a 20-hour assault on the U.S. embassy in the capital.

The assault on the ISAF convoy took place late in the morning in the Darulaman area in the west of the city, near the national museum.

The former royal palace, now in ruins, is also in the area, along with several government departments, and Afghan and foreign military bases.

The Taliban later claimed responsibility for the attack, saying they packed a four-wheel-drive vehicle with 700 kg of explosives.

SECURITY HANDOVER

The Afghan government and its foreign backers are preparing for the end of 2014, the deadline for foreign combat troops to return home.

Some Afghans fear their own security forces will be unable to cope with the insurgency and the country may fall into civil war. Coalition forces have already started handing over responsibility for security to Afghan forces in some parts of the country.

“We are confident we can undertake the transition,” NATO’s senior civilian representative in Afghanistan, Simon Gass, said at a meeting in Kabul on Saturday before the attack. “If we compare the security situation to how it was two years ago, we can see very dramatic improvements in many areas.”

Also on Saturday, three Australians and an Afghan linguist were killed in Uruzgan province in southern Afghanistan when an attacker wearing an Afghan National Army uniform opened fire on them, authorities in neighbouring Kandahar province said.

Violence across Afghanistan is at its worst since the start of the war 10 years ago, according to the United Nations, despite the presence of more than 130,000 foreign troops.

ISAF says there has recently been a fall in attacks by insurgents but this data excludes attacks that kill only civilians and attacks on Afghan security forces operating without international troops.

On Thursday, insurgents armed with rifles and rocket-propelled grenades attacked two bases used by foreign troops in southern Afghanistan. An Afghan interpreter working for ISAF was killed in that attack, which stretched into Friday before the last of the four insurgents were killed.

There has been a series of high-profile assassinations, as well as day-to-day attacks by Taliban raiders, over the past year.

More than a dozen people were killed in the September attack on the U.S. embassy and ISAF headquarters.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/29/suicide-bomb-in-kabul-kills-13-u-s-troops/feed/4stdA NATO helicopter flies over the site of a bomb blast in Kabul on Oct. 29, 2011.Photos: The reign of Muammar Gaddafihttp://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/20/moamar-gaddafi-dead-photos-june-7-1942-oct-20-2011/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/20/moamar-gaddafi-dead-photos-june-7-1942-oct-20-2011/#commentsThu, 20 Oct 2011 15:02:51 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=101604

Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was killed Thursday after an eight-month uprising. Here’s a look back at the life of the military strongman.

AFP/Getty ImagesPost 1969 picture of Libyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi.

BENGHABIT/AFP/Getty ImagesLibyan Head of State Colonel Moammar Gadhafi (L) and Egyptian President Gamal Abdul Nasser (R, 1918-70) arrive together in December 1969 in Rabat prior the Arab Summit Conference.

AFP/Getty ImagesPicture dated July 1973 of Libyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi (L) joking in Tripoli with a group of British hippies.

AFP/Getty ImagesLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi (C) riding a horse in November 1975 in Tripoli.

JOEL ROBINE/AFP/Getty ImagesLibyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (L) and Senegalese President Abdou Diouf (R) wave to the crowd, on December 04, 1985 in Dakar, upon Kadhafi's three-day official visit to Senegal.

JOEL ROBINE/AFP/Getty ImagesLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi (L) and his wife Suffiya (R) wave to the crowd 03 December 1985 in Dakar, followed by President of Senegal Abdou Diouf (2nd row-R) upon their arrival for three-day official visit to Senegal.

REUTERS/Kate Dourian/FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi smiles at his daughter Aysha during a news conference where he presented his family to U.S. female journalists inside his Bedouin tent erected in the heavily fortified Bab El-Assaria barracks on the outskirts of Tripoli in this January 12, 1986 file photo.

REUTERS/Kate Dourian/FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi looks on during a news conference where he presented his family to U.S. female journalists inside his Bedouin tent erected in the heavily fortified Bab El-Assaria barracks on the outskirts of Tripoli in this January 12, 1986 file photo.

JOEL ROBINE/AFP/Getty ImagesLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi addresses journalists 02 February 1986 in Tripoli during a meeting of "The High Command of The Revolutionary Forces of The Arab Nation".

REUTERS/Rob Taggart /FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi waves to supporters as he gives a speech condemning the U.S. from a balcony at Bab al-Aziziya in Tripoli in this March 28, 1986 file photo.

REUTERS/Frederic Neema/FilesEgypt's President Hosni Mubarak (L) meets Libyan Leader Muammar Gaddafi at the Egyptian border city of Mersa Matrouh in this October 16, 1989 file photo.

REUTERS/Jon Bainbridge/FilesEgypt's President Hosni Mubarak (L) jokes with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi upon his arrival at Benghazi airport in this August 27, 1991 file photo.

REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby/FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi (L) laughs as Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak jokes with photographers at the Egyptian border town of Sidi Barrani in this April 21, 1992 file photo.

REUTERS/Aladin Abdel Naby/FilesEgyptian President Hosni Mubarak (L) accompanies Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on a tour at the pyramids of Giza in this January 19, 1993 file photo.

REUTERS/Pascal RossignolLibya's President Muammar Gaddafi (L) greets his counterpart from France Nicolas Sarkozy at Bab Azizia Palace in Tripoli July 25, 2007, the

REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi/FilesU.S. President Barack Obama stands with Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi before a dinner at the G8 summit in L'Aquila in this July 9, 2009 file photo.

REUTERS/Zohra BensemraLibya's leader Muammar Gaddafi attends a celebration of the 40th anniversary of his coming to power at the Green Square in Tripoli September 1, 2009.

REUTERS/Mike SegarLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gestures at the end of his address to the 64th United Nations General Assembly at the U.N. headquarters in New York, September 23, 2009. Gaddafi, in his first ever address to the United Nations, on Wednesday accused the veto-wielding powers of the Security Council of betraying the principles of the U.N. charter.

REUTERS/Ismail Zetouny/FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi speaks during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the evacuation of the American military bases in the country, in Tripoli, in this June 12, 2010 file photo.

REUTERS/Louafi Larbi/FilesLibyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gestures from a car in Tripoli, after a meeting with a delegation of five African leaders seeking to mediate in Libya's conflict, in this April 10, 2011 file photo.

REUTERS/Reuters TV/FilesMuammar Gaddafi relaxes with his granddaughter in his tent at the Bab al-Aziziya compound in Tripoli in this file photo of a still image taken from an exclusive amateur video from 2005 obtained by Reuters on September 7, 2011.

]]>http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/10/20/moamar-gaddafi-dead-photos-june-7-1942-oct-20-2011/feed/2galleryTO GO WITH AFP PACKAGE ON THE 40TH ANNIVPost 1969 picture of Libyan Head of State ColonelGadhafi & NasserPicture dated July 1973 of Libyan Head of State CoLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi (C) riLibyan leader Moamer Kadhafi (L) and SenLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer KadhFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi smiling at his daughter Aysha during a news conference inside his Bedouin tent erected in the heavily fortified Bab El-Assaria barracks on the outskirts of TripoliFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi during a news conference inside his Bedouin tent erected in the heavily fortified Bab El-Assaria barracks on the outskirts of TripoliLibyan Head of State Colonel Moamer Kadhafi addresFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi waving to supporters as he gives a speech condemning the U.S. from a balcony at Bab al-Aziziya in TripoliFile photo of Egyptian President Mubarak meeting Libyan Leader Gaddafi at the Egyptian border city of Mersa MatrouhFile photo of Tunisian President Zine Al-Abdine Ben Ali welcoming Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi upon his arrival at Tunis airportFile photo of Egyptian President Mubarak joking with Libyan leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi upon his arrival at Benghazi airportFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Sidi BarraniFile photo of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak accompanying Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi on a tour at the pyramids of GizaLibya's President Gaddafi greets his counterpart from France Sarkozy at Bab Azizia Palace in TripoliFile photo of Obama and Gaddafi in L'AquilaLibya's leader Gaddafi attends a celebration of the 40th anniversary of his coming to power in TripoliLibyan leader Gaddafi gestures at the end of his address to the 64th United Nations General Assembly at U.N.headquarters in New YorkFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi speaking during a ceremony to mark the 40th anniversary of the evacuation of the American military bases in the country, in TripoliFile photo of Gaddafi and Frattini in RomeFile photo of Libyan leader Gaddafi attending the opening of the African Union summit in MunyonyoFile photo of Libya's leader Muammar Gaddafi adjusting his glasses on Margarita IslandFile photo of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi gesturing from a car in TripoliFile photo of still image taken from amateur video shows Muammar Gaddafi relaxing with his granddaughter at Bab al-Aziziya compound in TripoliUpdate: RCMP also investigating report of sled dog cull in B.C.http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/31/100-sled-dogs-in-bc-killed-following-lull-in-adventure-tourism-report/
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/01/31/100-sled-dogs-in-bc-killed-following-lull-in-adventure-tourism-report/#commentsMon, 31 Jan 2011 21:10:42 +0000http://news.nationalpost.com/?p=45208

By Sam Cooper and Sean Sullivan

The SPCA and the RCMP have launched an investigation following a report that a dogsled handler in Whistler, B.C., undertook the killing of 100 dogs when bookings slumped after the Olympic Games in Vancouver.

Reports surfaced Monday that an unidentified man involved in the dogsledding operation was granted workers’ compensation after developing post-traumatic stress disorder for allegedly being forced to kill the dogs.

Outdoor Adventures at Whistler says in a release that for four years they’ve had a financial interest in Howling Dogs Whistler Inc., which has “operational control of the dogsledding operations.” Outdoor Adventures is owned by 29-year-old Joey Houssian, son of Intrawest founder Joe Houssian.

Both the RCMP and the BC SPCA are investigating reports that the dogs were killed execution-style and dumped in a mass grave. Warrants have been filed to access records from Workers Compensation Board.

Staff Sgt. Steve LeClair confirmed Whistler Pemberton RCMP were notified of the SPCA investigation Monday and have assigned an investigator to aid the SPCA.

A statement from Outdoor Adventures states: “OAW was aware of the relocation and euthanization of dogs at Howling Dogs in April 2010, but it was our expectation that is was done in a proper, legal and humane manner.” The release goes on to say the company only heard about the unidentified man’s compensation last week.

“Shocking doesn’t begin to describe what happened to these poor dogs,” said an emotional Marcie Moriarty, BC SPCA’s manager of animal-cruelty investigations.

“Up to 100 dogs — I don’t want to use the term euthanize because they were executed. (The man) describes it as execution-style killings.”

There are provisions in the SPCA act that allow for Criminal Code charges and Moriarty said this case warrants them: “Dogs crawling around in a mass grave; half of one’s face blown off — if those actions don’t constitute Criminal Code offence, I don’t know what does.”

Ms. Moriarty has said it’s often difficult to prosecute Criminal Code cases on animal cruelty charges. However, “I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a case where a person admits shooting off the face of a dog,” she said.

Ms. Moriarty said the man says he was more or less ordered to kill the dogs, but that’s no excuse and he’s culpable.

Terry Cumming of Melfort, Sask., advocates against sled-dog operators through his website, Sled Dog Watchdog. He wasn’t surprised to hear of the allegations.

“It’s pretty common for (sled-dog operators) to kill dogs and not tell anyone,” Mr. Cumming said. “If the dogs are not capable of earning their keep, they’re of no value to either the dog-tour operators or the dog mushers.”

Mr. Cumming said he’s heard of instances where truckloads of dogs were brought to veterinarians to be euthanized and that most are shot in rural locations away from the public eye.

Dr. David Lane of Coast Mountain Veterinary Services, reached at his home on Monday, told the Vancouver Province he had no knowledge of the dogs being culled.

“From the companies I’ve worked with I’ve seen a steady improvement in the condition and health of sled dogs, and no instances of neglect in their care,” he said.

Ms. Moriarty and RCMP will be looking for the location of mass grave, which is believed to be in the Whistler area. The difficulty is that the grave now will be under several feet of snow.

A 55-year-old man is dead after being struck by a TTC bus early Friday morning.

The incident occurred just north of St. Clair Avenue on Dufferin Street around 5:20 a.m., just moments after the southbound bus stopped to pick up passengers.

“One of the passengers that had just got off the bus noticed that someone was on the ground, so they started banging on the bus to tell the driver to stop,” said Constable Hugh Smith of Toronto police traffic services.

“Unfortunately the man was pronounced dead on the scene.”

Const. Smith said police were investigating the possibility that the man may have slipped on the snow while running for the 29 Dufferin bus and fallen under it, out of the sight of the driver.

The Coroner arrived on scene around 8 a.m. to remove the body. Both police and TTC officials continue their investigation.

The intersection of St. Clair Avenue and Dufferin Streets is expected to remain closed until at least noon, Const. Smith said. TTC are diverting bus routes in the area.